PETER WRIGHT was one of Scottish rugby's most redoubtable fellows in the rough-house of the scrum and time has neither diminished the drive nor dissipated the determination of the former Test prop.
He was a coiled spring of ceaseless activity during his coaching tenure at Glasgow Hawks and has brought the same indefatigable qualities to the role at Selkirk, who began the season with no bigger ambition that staying in the Scottish National League.
Fast forward six months and the Borderers are streets ahead of their rivals at the summit of the table and have won all their 18 matches. This is a proud club, the same organisation which used to thrive on such peerless competitors as John Rutherford and Iain Paxton, but never before have they threatened to go through an entire league campaign unbeaten. Or at least not until Mr Wright walked through the door at Philiphaugh and began weaving his magic.
It has been one of the more remarkable tales of the season, yet he isn't claiming an excess of credit for Selkirk's transformation. But nor is Wright trotting out the tired old mantra about "taking one game at a time" or "keeping the champagne on ice." He knows he and his colleagues will have to bolster their resources for the return to the BT Premiership, and he has already started casting his gaze over those who might strengthen his existing squad.
The title has still to be won - and it can be wrapped up when they travel to Aberdeen Grammar on Saturday - but when you have developed the winning habit and only require three more points from four fixtures, it's no time to be glued to your calculator.
"There weren't a huge amount of expectations when we kicked off last summer, but the way things have gone has been better than any of us could have anticipated," said Wright, who has created a platform for success wherever he has travelled. "The skill levels weren't in doubt here and it was obvious the boys could play rugby. But what I have tried to do is bring in a bit more organisation, structure, defensive appreciation and belief, and it has all come together quicker than anybody thought it would.
"I think one of the most important things is that we have brought a sense of fun into our training sessions. That works better than people just doing drills for the sake of it. The players have really bought into it and I suppose that has been made easier by the fact we have kept winning week in, week out. That has galvanised everybody, on and off the pitch, and there's a growing sense of excitement about the future."
Selkirk have never savoured similar success to their Borders counterparts at Melrose, Gala and Hawick, but have become renowned for producing thrilling, expansive rugby and Wright has managed to add clout to the champagne.
He has also been smart enough to cram up on the Selkirk chronicles and reinforce the message to his charges that they have the opportunity to create their own history in the next few weeks.
"This is a club with a proud tradition and I've sat down with the boys and told them that, for a short time, they can become the custodians of the jerseys which were worn by such legendary figures as Rutherford and Paxton," said Wright. "That means a lot to them. They are a down-to-earth bunch, who have come through the ranks together, and they realise the opportunity which is staring them in the face.
"I've talked to some other club officials in this league and heard them remark: "Oh, we don't want promotion - we would just get relegated from the Premiership next year." As you might imagine, I don't share that attitude. Yes, going into the Premiership is a massive step and it might be tough to stay up. But I love these sort of challenges and they give you something to pursue."
They have already accumulated 82 points from their 18 outings and there is still a chance of Selkirk reaching their ton, which would be an incredible achievement. Rubislaw promises to be noisier than usual this Saturday.
Team of the week
Ayr have been one of the most consistent forces in the last five years on the Scottish grassroots circuit and appear to be gearing up for the play-offs in the ideal manner. Their 25-23 win over Heriots was another reminder of how tough it is for anybody to beat them at Millbrae.
Talking point
On the face of it, there might have been little to cheer about in Aberdeen Grammar's 39-27 victory over Hillhead-Jordanhill. But, given the horrible winter which the latter have endured, the bonus point they collected for scoring five tries
Meanwhile, Scottish Rugby issued a statement on the sad news of the death of coach John Foster, with former Scotland captain Rory Lawson paying tribute to his former tutor. he said: "I have a plethora of incredible memories of him from my time at Dollar Academy and in my days since leaving school.
"I credit much of my appetite and enjoyment in rugby during my youth to him and he was the master of teaching the values of rugby alongside the skills required to play the game."
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